After what seemed to be a very long journey, we have finally arrived in the Netherlands! Despite the long hours of travel (and very little sleep), we had a full day with many fun activities. We started our day by familiarizing ourselves with the city of Amsterdam through a scavenger hunt that had a theme of The Fault in Our Stars. During our scavenger hunt, we saw many monuments, museums, and historic buildings, such as the Anne Frank House.
After our scavenger hunt, we grabbed a quick lunch at a local supermarket and raced over to Keukenhof for the last day of the season! Since it was the last day of the season, many tulips had already been cut or started to wilt, but there were still many beautiful flowers for us to enjoy. The visit to Keukenhof added a cultural dimension to our day. The Netherlands is known for its flowers, especially tulips! Being able to see all the beautiful displays of vibrant flowers brought this idea full circle and made the reputation feel real. My experience allowed me to connect what I have learned about Dutch traditions to real life.
Last, but certainly not least, we finished our day by eating at Gebouw Batavia and stopping for ice cream on the way home! We had the opportunity to try an authentic Dutch dish featuring sausage and mashed potatoes. The combination of the meal, atmosphere, and shared laughter was a great way to end our long day.
During our travels today, we relied entirely on public transportation. For example, after arriving, we took a train to Lelylaan, then transferred to Metro 51 to Amstel Station, and finally took another metro to Centraal Station. Even in just one day, I felt the efficiency of the Dutch public transit to be better than that back home. The buses and trains were punctual, were not crowded, and fairly easy to navigate. While it may be less busy because it is Sunday, I am curious to see how my experience will change as the week goes by. Regardless, the public transportation was surprisingly well-organized and reliable.
After a fun, eventful first day, I am excited to see what the rest of this journey has in store.